


All to Get Here

by navaan



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Character Study, Feelings, Ficlet, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Secret Crush, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-23 00:34:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7459692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navaan/pseuds/navaan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky gets frozen again and the only thing Sam knows for sure is that the word complicated doesn't even begin to describe this whole mess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All to Get Here

**Author's Note:**

> You can also read this story and comment on it on Livejournal [here](http://navaan.livejournal.com/290508.html). Feel free to friend or contact me there.

Sam doesn't follow them into the lab. It's their moment and it's Barnes who has the final say here, even if Sam thinks they are both idiots. There has to be a better way after all that has happened.

Steve doesn't protest the fact that Barnes essentially wants to be frozen all over again and seems to be... fine. He doesn't seem nervous or angry or like he thinks there is something wrong with how far all of this has gone for something that comes down to feeling like everyone has lost.

Something seems wrong with that, but Sam can't put his finger on it. Acceptance is good, right? Shouldn't it be in this case?

When Steve comes back out he looks calm. “Are you alright?” Sam asks and Steve shrugs. He still looks calm and at ease.

“Things will be complicated for a while, but I think we're better off like this.”

 _Are we?_ Sam thinks. It's not like he wants to be in prison. It's not like he thinks they should be above the law either. Complicated doesn't even begin to cut it. “And you're okay with this?” He nods in the direction of the lab.

Steve doesn't grimace or flinch. He doesn't even look uncomfortable. “No,” he says anyway. “Not sure I could have done this if it was me, but I get why he thinks it's better this way. T'Challa promises they'll do everything in their power to help him and until then he is going to be fine.”

“Good,” Sam says, although he has no idea how someone being frozen in a pod all over again is even close to being fine. “But really? All this and this is how it ends? We burn all bridges just to put Killer Frost on ice again?”

“Killer Frost?” Steve asks and his eyebrows draw together.

“Haven't caught up with comic books have you?” Sam rolls his eyes as if that's a criminal offense, but grins.

Steve grins too. It's good to see that after everything he still can. “Wasn't exactly a priority.”

“Well, I'm sure Sleeping Beauty would look good with blue lipstick.”

“Be glad he can't hear you.”

Steve claps his shoulder. “The doctors here, they'll help him. When he wakes up next time he's going to have control of his actions for good.”

It's the conviction in Steve's words that makes Sam nod. He still feels like they've gone far and wide for a whole lot of nothing.

Until he catches him shove a phone into an envelope, he thinks that Steve has no regrets.

* * *

Sam doesn't step into the lab for over a week. When he finally does he makes sure he's alone. Barnes' face is visible behind the glass and his face is pale, his lips are an unhealthy shade of blue and the weirdest thing is that his face is just so lifeless. He had been good at the blank expressions, but this is much more scary.

He stands there for much too long just staring.

They went this far to get Barnes to safety, to give him a chance at life on his own terms, as more than a weapon. And this is how it ends.

It's stupid. It's infuriating. Just like the man.

“I still hate you,” he says out loud, his voice echoing in the lab. “But damn you, if you just hide away in that icy sleep forever, you coward.”

His hand touches the glass.

He knows what he is actually saying is: _Come back. We only just started._

**Author's Note:**

> You can also find me on [tumblr ](http://navaan.tumblr.com/). This fic has a post [on there](http://navaan.tumblr.com/post/147293798804/ficlet-mcu-cacw-all-to-get-here-buckysam) in case you want to comment/review/reblog there. [My ask box](http://navaan.tumblr.com/ask) is open if you have questions.


End file.
